Brief Thoughts on Fatherhood

It's not about sweet first-step scenes on greeting cards, or Norman Rockwell playing catch illustrations.  No, fatherhood is about hands-on Reality.  This image from family archives is a favorite image for this - the dad, once again, helping to keep the college student's old beater running.

In our clan we have dads of all sorts and to me, all heroes in one way or another.  From the story reading, diaper changing young ones, to the one who daily through the years has faced with grace and dealt with the challenges brought by the uninvited guest of autism.

It comes down to the all important love factor.

Thinking back to my own father, I admit there were years of ungrateful youth where I resented him.  His ministry and jobs took him from home much too often.  Yet filtered by time, I have come to realize, absent or not, Daddy gave me the greatest gifts.

He was a Scot, and not given to demonstrative outbursts.  Yet in him I knew I had found complete and total acceptance for who I was "warts and all".  From him I received unconditional love.  Regardless.  I knew, too I was cherished and that all the steps of my days were covered by his prayers.

Much of fatherhood cannot be seen.  Rather it is demonstrated, it is simply given in acts of duty, by love unfaltering, unlimited, unending.

And through these, the youthful heart is prepared to accept Divine Love and the Fatherhood of his or her Creator God.

Praise Him!

You Might Have Know There'd Be A Book

Yesterday's post with the poem and bio bit on Dr. Samuel Hall Young led me on a Google search as he seemed such a fascinating fellow.

Among other bits and pieces I learned that in his early days as a young missionary pastor as well as young husband and soon-to-be father, he met John Muir, famous naturalist.  Muir had traveled to Alaska with three older Presbyterian leaders( rather hard nosed and stiff collared) and their wives.  The later were checking up on their young missionary.  On meeting the group, Young was at once drawn to the Scottish naturalist.  They formed an immediate bond and set about making quiety hiking plans.  

In order to free himself for his adventure with the older Muir, Young set up the watch-dog trio in meetings with local First Nation chiefs that he, Young, had been working with in his missionary and church building venture.

The book is Young's remembrances of those days. The account is delightfully readable.  Young was first and foremost a lyrical, spiritually sensitive poet as well as a keen observer of people and the created world around him.  He is a skilled wordsmith.  One is given not only a glimpse into hischaracter and sweet nature, but  also a lovely picture of Muir the man.

Now the book is readily only found in paper back form.  The original hardbacks are out of print and mostly costly.  But the happy news, it is a free download on Kindle.  [Amazon is my friend!]

So, my encouragement is this - if you are an adventure lover and/or if you enjoy reading character studies of noteworthy men, this is the read for you.

Just saying....

Dr. S. Hall Young at age 78

Dr. Young (1847-1927) was a pioneer missionary (Presbyterian) in Alaska.  His heroic life of service in the North is the stuff of legend and inspiration.  His death is one of those inexplicable events that only Eternity Future will reveal.  He was struck and killed by a car in Clarksburg, West Virginia the year after this photo was taken on the docks  in his beloved Alaska.

Among those papers he left behind are these lines of an unfinished poem:

Let me die, working.

Still tackling plans unfinished, tasks undone!

Clean to its end, swift may my race be run.

No laggard steps, no faltering, no shirking;

Let me die, working!

Let me die, thinking.

Let me fare forth still with an open mind,

Fresh secrets to unfold, new truths to find,

My soul undimmed, alert, no blinking;

Let me die thinking.

Let me die, laughing.

No sighing o'er past sins; they are forgiven.

Spilled on this earth are all the joys of Heaven;

The wine of life, the cup of mirth quaffing.

Let me die, laughing.

I do so wish he had been able to finish writing down his thoughts.

And yet, here is enough to ponder and take to heart This Day.

A Blessed Childhood

It's all about books again.

One of my favorite and most cherished blessings, looking backward to childhood, was a mother that read to us.

Mother's plan was, it seems, to offer us the excellent while providing the good.  The rest we would discover for ourselves in our own time.

Scripture was first.  King James, of course.  It was through that I learned to read.  Twice a day after meals, a chapter would be read, each person at the table reading two verses in turn.  Mother would guide her finger under the sentences being read.  As I began to recognize words I would be permitted to read them aloud.  First the articles, the conjunctions and finally the words that moved the narrative.

To this day I thank all those patient, older folk around that table allowing a small child such experience.

Then there was Pilgrim's Progress.  Again, original, nothing simplified or diluted here.  I well remember evening hours by the fireplace, listening as mama read to Brother Dearest and myself.  We weren't always the most attentive audience.  We sometimes giggled at the character names and invented our own silly nicknames.  What I do not remember is being scolded for this nonsense.  Much to my mother's credit.

There were the heroic missionary accounts such as those of John Paton, Henry Martyn, Hudson Taylor and Mary Slessor.  I wonder how many of today's generation even know these names?

Among the books provided, were the Frank Baum Oz books which frankly frightened me by their seemingly scary illustrations.  Haven't read these to this day.  Don't even like the movie. 

The twin books of Lucy Fitch Perkins, now, these were among my favorites. I wish I could remember more titles.  I do know they would most likely not be among those familiar to today's readers.

What I do remember is the loving prompting by deed, by example, to makes books an integral part of life's journey.

To this day I still thrill to missionary accounts.
And I can still see in my mind's eye the illustrations in the various twins books.

It is delightful to remember....

Never Forsaken

What a glorious thought!
What a comfort it brings!

Scripture has numerous statements concerning this fact:  that those who seek Him will never be forsaken by Him.  In one such passage the Amplified renders this word to include:

"I will not in any way fail you 

nor give you up 

nor leave you without support.  

I will not, I will not in any degree 

leave you helpless 

nor forsake 

nor let you down 

or relax my hold on you!  

Assuredly not!"

Could there be any clearer way to state the Fact?

Can there really be room for doubt?

And how can we be certain of this?

  

Because "forsaken" was among all those things nailed to our Lord's cross then buried with Him that we might be freed from the grip of that devastating feeling of alone-ness.

   

Our Lord cried, He was forsaken by the Father that we might know we never will be.

This was a fresh thought to me and it has carried me in the days since I heard it.  It was just a quick 'aside' in a Sunday sermon but it penetrated my heart with the  quickness of an arrow finding its mark.

Yet one more beautiful thing for which to be grateful.  

One more 'nail in a sure place.'

I am clinging tightly to this today, not just for myself, but for dear ones that are in the midst of a great and frightening ordeal.

Oh the riches that are ours in Christ Jesus!

May we never forget.

Thank you, Pastor Kris.   

An Incident and a Sermon

Such a simple concept, this.  The sign says, the sign points, that's the way to go.

Our pastor has begun teaching from the apostle Paul's letter to the Galations.  This was not a city church, but a group of gatherings.  These were early church times, all was fresh and new.  Yet in very strong language, Paul admonishes.

In one of the newer scriptural translations it states "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ...."  How could those early believers who were taught by eye witnesses, who had parchments available with the ink barely dry, get off the path?  (she asks smugly)

"A different gospel", a "gospel contrary" - that's what these in the early church were following.

We are so quick to pass judgement.  We just as quickly forget that we are careless and unwise in our own day, in our own lives, in our own walk of faith.

Our pastor reminded us that the gospel, the good news of Christ's death, burial and resurrection is all of Grace, but nothing and about God's unconditional love, which can be neither bought, earned or fathomed.

The least things we add or subtract from these great, clear and simple truths forms 'another gospel'.  Doing or not doing on our part only detracts and perverts.  Anything we add or subtract leaves us with no gospel at all.  Our carefully constructed creeds and belief system is as useful in the spiritual and eternal realm as a house of cards in the physical and temporal.

These thoughts were clarified and amplified by a situation that occurred on our recent trip.  Traveling in an unfamiliar city, we found ourselves just like the above, going  the wrong way on a one way street.

"It is dangerous stuff to go the wrong way on a one way road" our pastor reminded us.  Whether physical or spiritual that is a literal truth.

But for us on our journey, there was a touch of uncommon grace.  As we pulled the car to the side of that one way street, facing the wrong direction, a woman, going the right way, seeing our dilemma, pulled along side, rolled down her window and said "I'll stay here and block the way so yu can back up and turn safely".  And so we did.

We are left with this perfect illustration of what our calling should be.  Whether in the world or the church, when aware of another's wrong direction, we are to stop and assist, blocking the wrong way if necessary to provide safe redirection for the one in danger. We can only do this if we are traveling the right direction on the One Way.

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father to whom be glory forever and ever.  Amen"  Galations 1.3-5
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Translation of the scriptures, the English Standard Version.

Milestones, Ending Well, New Beginnings

It has happened. One of life's occurrences you don't even think about ahead of time. The last of the Grand-Lads has graduated High School.  Actually, the last of the Grands in total, for that matter.

High School graduations are nothing special, I know.  But just sometimes the facts fly in the face of that general statement.

This one was special because the Lad Himself is just that. Ordinary ease with schooling has not been his lot.  Diagnosed in his young life with an autistic label, similar yet different from his older brother, our lad has had challenges all along the way.

However, by the Grace of God, wise and patient parents all his years, plus mentors and therapists, -all of these amazing -  he has graduated. 

Now the best part:  he graduated with honors! He recieved the president's award for achievement, plus awards in history and math.  That last one is a puzzlement.  Math is not a strength in this family, rather it is generally seen dangling by a very thin thread.

If all these weren't blessings enough, he is a good kid.  He is Southern proper-polite, owing to a Southern mom of gracious bearing and he is funny, perhaps in large part from a clever and witty dad.

So it was our great pleasure to travel to take part in this history making milestone.

Added to this, was our lad's choice to be baptized, stating to the world that he desires to follow his Savior all the days of his life.  He honored his grandpa by asking him to do the honors.  The event took place in a family friend's backyard swimming pool.  Special friends, church family and blood family witnessed.  It was simple but so meaningful.  Both of the grandfathers took part, one in the water speaking the ancient words of Christian history, plus others of personal import.  The other grandpa, at the edge of the pool, praying a prayer of blessing onl our Lad for all his days ahead.

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And so, this post is just about family, events ordinary, yet extraordinary.  All touched by Mercy and great Grace.

 Additional photos of this adventure:

The Mom who loves unconditionally , who teaches tirelessly and well:

The Dad who supports in every way, who is loving and steadfast:

The elder brother who has gone before and left his good crumbs on the trail to follow:

Where will the trail end?  That is written in Eternity Past and not for our knowing in the Present.  But we are thrilled with the choices, with the beginning our Lad has made and are humbled and so very proud of him and his family. We know that our faithful God will lead in the future as He has the past.  He has promised us that and we know it is true.

In the meantime, our hearts are full.  We are grateful beyond telling.
Praise Him!